The saga of who will head the coalition government in Perak has taken a dramatic turn, with DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang ordering his party assemblyman to stay away from the swearing-in of the Mentri Besar – and they have chosen to defy him.State DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming said the party’s elected representatives would be at Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar for the ceremony to swear in PAS’ Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.
State DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming said the party’s elected representatives would be at Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar for the ceremony to swear in PAS’ Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, scheduled at 4pm today.
Continue with the Star report:
Questions over MB post as state leaders defy Kit Siang
...Lim, in a statement yesterday, said the party did not agree to Nizar’s appointment and had decided on Sunday night that the post should either be held by its state chief Ngeh Koo Ham or state PKR treasurer Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi.
The palace also issued a statement last night stating that the DAP had signed a document agreeing to accept any one of the three names proposed.Party secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and other party leaders could not be reached for comments.
Kit Siang issued the statement at 7.15pm, ordering the party's 18 assemblymen to stay away but barely two-and-a-half hours earlier Ngeh publicly expressed support for Nizar after an audience with the Raja Muda of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah at Istana Kinta in Ipoh.
After the audience, Nizar, the state PAS secretary, Ngeh and Jamaluddin held a joint press conference to announce the appointments.
While Nizar was to be the Mentri Besar, Ngeh would be appointed Deputy Mentri Besar. An Indian assemblyman is to be appointed second deputy MB at a later date.
Nga said that “things were going as usual” and the DAP assemblymen would be attending the swearing-in.
Asked about the statement from the headquarters, Nga, who is also the national DAP Socialist Youth chief, said: “I don’t know. You go and ask Kit Siang.”
Kit Siang, in his statement, said the decision to appoint Nizar had “caused shock and consternation” to DAP leaders, members and supporters.
Lim, who is Ipoh Timur MP, said the party’s central executive committee (CEC) had only given the approval for the formation of a Perak coalition government comprising the 18 DAP assemblymen, seven PKR assemblymen and six PAS assemblymen.
Lim said PAS was the third and the smallest political party in the proposed coalition and, as such, the CEC had not given its mandate for the appointment of Nizar as Mentri Besar.On Saturday, the Opposition won 31 state seats in Perak, wresting control of the state from Barisan Nasional which won 28 seats.
But the loose Opposition coalition is held together by only a three-seat majority, and two of the Opposition coalition partners – DAP and PAS – do not see eye-to-eye on a number of issues, especially in relation to forming an Islamic state.
Lim did not make it clear whether DAP was leaving the coalition.
PKR information chief Tian Chua said they were also shocked that Nizar had been selected as Mentri Besar.
“We were caught by surprise. We expected either PKR or DAP,” he said.
He added that the coalition would hold an emergency meeting today to decide its next course of action.
PAS secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar said he was quite disappointed that things were not going as smoothly as they should have.
“We are trying to sort this out again to save the Opposition government,” he said.
He said the irony was that PAS, DAP and PKR had made a joint announcement that they would agree to any of the three names submitted to Raja Nazrin.
“But obviously the state DAP had not checked with the national DAP,” he added.
Pix: courtesy of the Star: Perak’s Mentri Besar-in-waiting Nizar (right) talking with Perak DAP chief Ngeh after their audience with the Raja Muda of Perak.
9 comments:
The State DAP reps are more sensible than their National Adviser. I am happy at the way they came to the solution. It is time for Lim Kit Siang to be shown the door. Without him the party will become less racist and be more attractive to non Chinese to support ot even join it.
Good sence among the state DAP leaders seemed to prevail.
I'm relieved that the State DAP have some sense to do the right thing. Race or religion should have nothing to do with the appointment in the first place.
I don't see what's the fuss.
Aiya, these old birds are still stuck in the old way of thinking DESPITE what they say.
I am a chinese, and I don't see what the big deal is with having a PAS member as MB.
LKS and people like him are bad for their own parties. Talking about shooting yourself in the foot.
He's acting very much like those BN monkeys.
Kak Ton, all i can say is :stupid Kit Siang, after all the hardwork for the opp and this is the result, he has to learn from Tsu Koon and that was when Gerakan was defeated. In this case, they won. I agree with Zawi, Kit Siang - time to pencen already! We are Malaysians, therefore, stop to racism as I dont care who sits as MP as long as he is a efficient, effective, clean and works for the rakyat because its the rakyat that put him there in the first place. Anyway, why not PAS if they can deliver?
I agree with all the commentators here.
Kit Siang being a veteran and an elder politician should have known better than to issue a statement which has been perceived as "racist".
I gave my vote to the Opposition because I want so much to make a difference. We did it. Why does Kit Siang want to undo the goodwill which has been so hard to achieve?
I am just so disappointed with him.
But am relieved like sasa that good sense has preveiled. Let's keep it that way.
Let's work for ALL Malaysians.
Dear Kak Ton,
I'm so touched, I'm crying right now.
Way to Go, State DAP Reps!
That's the kind of reps the Rakyats chose, the kind we want. I'm glad they don't disappoint us.
Enough of racial politics. LKS is proving himself to be irrelevant, like his UMNO/BN counterparts.
In fact, when he sabotaged BR on the eve of the GE by saying there is no such thing as Barisan Rakyat, I stopped being an admirer of him and realized that all these years LKS was nothing if not an ENABLER of the KETUANAN KRAZIES in UMNO.
LKS has issued apology to Sultan and Regent. Ronnie Liu admits DAP screwed up. Let's hope that for a better Malaysia, damage can be undone.
Kak Ton,
LKS made amends by apologizing. All is well now.
Dr. Koh Tsu Koon was so graceful in defeat. He deserved a place in the new cabinet even as a senator. I hope Pak Lah will not be blind enough as to miss him. He should retire Kak Fidah. She will be a liability now since there are not many other figures that can become the focus of ppls hate towards his cabinet other than Nazri and herself.
LKS is a power hungry ghost that has finally smelled food. Gelojoh nak mampus ...
Mr Lim, please keep ur mouth shut. A muslim MB is more representative in a Malay-dominant state. Don't offend those Malay voters who help u to topple BN. Who cares which party the new MB's from, as long as he is picked and blessed by Sultan. U r now fr a ruling party, so pls act like a leader for all the races. Now u hv provoked the anger of the Malays, I suggest u go to Kuala Kangsar and apologize personally to Sultan otherwise all your efforts to protrait DAP as a multi-racial party will be wasted. A statement doesn't show ur sincerity at all. Otherwise a dinasour like u will look exactly like a fossil. Btw, I am a chinese.
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